Machine for making membranous sheet wadding



`May 25 1926. t

f E. M, HALL MACHINE :FOR MAKING M-EMBRANOUS SHEET WADDING Filed oct. 5,V 19

.Km/EMMA N l Patented May 2 51, 1926.

4PATENT oFFicE.-

EDWARDI-M. HALL, OF CAMILLUS, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR MAKING MEM `BRANOUS. SHEET WADDING. f

Application led October L3, 1924. Serial No. 741,393.

This invention relates to a process and ap paratus formaking a membranous wadding from pulp stock which is reduced to a more or less finely divided r comminuted fibrous condition by any of the well known processes commonly employed in the manufacture of paper stock.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a more economical and expe. ditious method of and apparatus for oonverting this fluid stock into an extremely light and highly absorptive membranous sheet wadding as a iinished product which is readily soluble in Water.

In other words, I have sought to produce the finished product from the Huid stocky with the use of a single felt and dryer as dis tinguished from the multiplicity of felts and dryers commonly used in paper making.

Other object and uses relating to specific steps or structural features of the process and apparatus will be brought out in the follow- 1 ing description.

The drawing is a side elevation partly in section and partly diagrammatic of an apparatus embodying the various features of my invention for carrying out the process. As illustrated this apparatus colnprises a pulp containing vat 1 divided into a Aseries of compartments bytransverse partitions 2- and containing a supplemental housing 3 in which is located a wire covered cylinder mold lt The first partition 2 reading from the left hand toward the right hand, extends from the top of the vat downwardly below the liquid level and is provided with an opening 2 near the bottom of the vat to allow `the pulp to flow from the first compartment to the second compartment. while the second partition extends from the bottom of the vat upwardly to a level some distance below the level of. the liquid pulp to, permit the overflow of the stock from the second compartment to the third compartment.

- zontal plane of the axis of the cylinder mold 4 the rearmost partitionA 6- being spaced from the corresponding end of the vat 1 -toform an upward passage 7 thus permitting the stock to flow from the compartment directly infront of the housing 3 through the .passages 5 and 7 and allowingthe finer floating stock to overow into the space between the partitions 6 A baflie plate lor partition 8 extends from the top of the vat downwardly into the upper end of the space between the partitions- 6 and in spaced relation thereto and also 1n spaced relation to the bottom of the housing 3- to cause thelfiner floating stock to flow over the top of the rearmost partition 6 and thence downwardly and upwardly around the bottom of the parti` tion 8 and thence over the top of the.- I

front partition 6 into direct AContact with a relatively slnall area of the upwardly moving side of the cylinder mold 4 1 i i Ashelf or table 9 commonly known as a making'board extends from the upper edge of the fron-t partition 6 into close proximity to the adjacent face of the cylinder mold 4 and also extends from side to side of the housing 3 to prevent the iiow of the surface stock into the lower portion of the chamber in which the'cylinder mold 4 is located, said making board being slightly inclined upwardly and forwardlv from the front partition 6- to cause lthe iiner stock to flow against the ady jacent surface of the upwardly moving portion of the cylinder mold.

The cylinder mold 4 is adapted to be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow by any suitable driving means, n-ot necessary to herein illustrate or describe, to

cause the floating pulp contacting with the upwardly moving side thereof to be carried upwardly by adhesion thereto.

A longitudinally extending frame lt is suitably supported at the rear end of the vat 1 and upon this frame is mounted a rotary drying cylinder l0 some distance. to the rear of the vat and adapted to be heated bysteam or other suitable heating means, not necessary to illustrate or describe since the heating means forms no part of my present invention.

A )"elt belt -11-, commonly known as a wet felt serves to convey the wet stock picked up by the surface of the cylinder mold -4. directly to the cylindrical dryer ,-flO- and for this purpose extends longitudinally of the vat --1 and frame -'A- and has its front portion supported upon a relatively small drum-12- directly over `the cylinder` mold -rf so as to bring the lower side of the adjacent portion of the felt lllin direct contact with the upper face of the cylinder mold and thereby to cause the thin film 'of pulp stock carried upwardly by the'upwardly moving portion .of the cylinder mold to be transferred by adhesion to the adjacent' portion of the felt. The level of the stock -in the vatf-l'- is indicated by the dotted line -1- and it will be noted'that, whileA the level is a slight distance above the surta-ce of the making board .-9- and that the.making board is disposed in or slightly above the horizontal plane of the axis ot` the cylinder mold .-el,', 'the latter is of suiiicient diameter to project somedistance 4above the stock level 1- so that the actual area of contact of the surface stock with the cylinder mold is relatively small as compared with `the surface area of the mold, the object of which is to cause the cylinder mold to pick uponlyV the finer-floating surface stock in the Vforin of a thin film and to convey the'same directly to the adjacent portion of the telt -11- through the relatively small transteu ring space between the level of the stock and the line of contact between the upper face of the mold andthe overlying portion oi' the felt.

The felt belt l1- may be caused to travel in the direction ot the movement indicated by the arrows either by contact with the cylinder mold l or by any other suitable means which will cause it to move in synchronism with the movement ofthe surface of said mold. l` he lo'wei` side ot' the Vfelt -11- between the mold -fland frame -A- travels in a substantially horizontal plane across and in contact with theed upon an adjustable support #15- which in turn is engaged by a threaded 'screw -16- constituting a means for tightening the Jfelt or rather Itor keeping it under the proper tension for etiicient work. The upper side of the felt -11- extends rearwardly and upwardly in an inclined plane from thc drum -l2 directly under and in contact with a plurality of, in this instance two, suc tion boxes 13'- which may also be con nected to any suitable suction devices for withdrawing moisture from this portion ot the felt and stock thereon while in transit from the cylinder mold -4- to the drying cylinder lO- The upper portion of theI ifclt -ll-- extends over the upper face ot' the drying cylinder 10?H and around a suitable idler -l7 on the frame -A- and thence downwardlyv around` the front halt of the cylinder and around the upper face of a presser-roll -l8-- and return around the rear-most idler -lLl-. The presser-roll --lS- is journaledupon a vertical movable support -19- which is'hinged at -QO- to the trame -A- and is pivotally connected through the medium oi links 21- and a lever 2i); to an underlying weighted lever Q3-,which is also pivotally mounted upon the frame A- and is adapted to press the roller -18- and overlying portion of the felt -llagainst the under side of 'the drying cylinder -10-.

This drying cylinder' -l0- is journaled upon the frame -A- to rotate about a horizontal axis parallel with that of the cylinder mold llbut is of considerably larger diameter .than that of the cylinder mold to afford a relatively large drying` surt'ace for tlie'stock which is ln'ought into contacttherewith by the felt l1- The idler 17- and presser-roll l 8 are located at nearly dianietrical sides or above and below, respectively of the drying cylinder w-10- thereby causing the'trans't'erring portion ot the ielt n11- to engage approximately half of the drying cylinder which may be rotated by the movement ot' the-telt in contact therewith or may be operated by any other power to cause its surface to move in substantial synchronism with the felt.

It is now clear that the lighter floatingr 'particles of the fluid pulp are brought into ping as a finished producthaving a highlv absorptive power ,and readily soluble in water. The means by which the Huid pulp is transferred from the cylinder mold -4 to the felt llis commonly known as couching, the felt belt serving as the means forconveying the pulp film directly from the cylinder mold to the drying cylinder.

lli

rectly over and in contactwith the upper surface of the drying cylinderpflf]- and preferably in proximity to the adjacent portion of the felt -lln thereby allowing Y the membranous sheet to adhere to a considerablc portion of thesurface of thedrying cylinder and pressed therein against' by the presser-roll -18- before it is ,doctored77 therefrom. This doctor plate -Q/lis arranged to cause a slight ,creeping eil'ect of the finished product.v F itable means is provided ior convey the i doctored product from the drying cylinder,

means of a screw -29- for mamtaining` Said apron under the desired tension.

The idler -26-- is located just-at the rear of and in close proximity to the doctor plate 24- and also in close proximity to the periphery of the drying cylinder -10- so that the finished product which is doctored from the drying cylinder -10- may be transferred by said plate directly -fupon the upwardly and rearwardly traveling side of the apron 25.- which is preferably inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the *idler -26*.; The intermediate portion of the upper side of theapron is caused to travel around and against the front and lower side of a winding drum -30- which is journaled uponl the supplemental frame -A- to rotate about an axis parallel with that of thedrying cylinder.

A reel -31- is revolubly mounted upon one end of a Weighted lever -32- having its other end provided with a counter balance and weight 3B--4 arrangedto permit the reel--3lto contact with the upper surface of the winding drum 0- and to be rotated `thereby for progressively. wind- Yjllgthe; 4tir-lished membranous sheet wazdding as -VV- on the reel as it is formed ready for fuse. p Operation.

The lighter pulp stock which iioats upon the surface .of the bulk in the vat -lis picked up by a relatively small area of the upwardly moving side of the cylinder mold .-4- and couched therefrom in a more or less saturated condition directly upoirthe felt -llin the form of an extremely thin iilm and is then conveyed directly to a relatively large suriace area of the drying cylinder -10- after a considerable portion ot' the moisture has been Withdrawn therefrom by the suction boxes 11W- This pulp ilmiis progressively transferred from the elt -llto the surface oi' the drying cylinder by adhesion increased by pressure of the roll hl8- which also serves to distribute the film more evenly over the surface of the drying cylinder.

The dried membranous sheet is. then progressively doctored from the drying cylinder on to the delivery apron -25 which conveys it to the winding drum 30- andthence to the reel -3las a iinished product having a high degree of absorptive power and also readily soluble in water `and if desired the reeled membranous sheet may be cut up into various small sizes according Ato the use to which it is to be put.

What I claim is v An apparatus for making lnembranous sheet Waddingcomprising a rotary cylinder mold, means tor applying a fluid pulp to the cylinder .mold, a rotary drying cylinder, means for couching the stock from the cylinder mold directly to the drying cylinder, a winding drum, and means for doctoring the product from the drying cylinder and conveying it directly to the winding drum. In witness whereof- I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day o1 September 1924.

EDVARD M. HALL. 

